Elli Sorensen, a well-known local artist, has made a generous donation to the Gila Native Plant Society of a magnificent quilt. The quilt depicts a colorful landscape including 50 native plants of the Gila region (an accompanying key identifies all the plants). The Seedboat Gallery, located at 214 West Yankie Street in Silver City, has kindly offered to display the quilt throughout February and March, offering the public the first chance to see this fine work of fiber art.

The quilt is designed to be raffled as a fund-raiser. Donating quilts for raffle is Elli Sorensen's ingenious way of contributing to organizations that promote causes she supports. As Elli explains, "My intent is to create a project which will perform both visually and financially for the organization while engaging and educating the public as to their mission. It is my hope that other artists are inspired to think outside the box in donating their work to benefit the causes they desire to support."

As Elli describes her elaborate technique, "Each quilt reflects the organization's mission. Hand-drawn illustrations are placed on a stretched one-piece silk face first in wax resist and then filled in using brushes with permanent professional textile pigments. The piece is then heat-set and washed to remove the wax. Next it is shaded and finished with permanent textile crayons and pencils mixed with aloe. Once again the face is heat-set and placed on a quilt frame along with light-weight silk, wool and tencel batting and a cotton backing piece. It is then quilted with a machine in the free-motion style. The quilt is bound and finished by hand and has rod pockets so that it may be hung for display."

The Seedboat Gallery has generously offered to allow Gila Native Plant Society members to sell raffle tickets for the quilt at the gallery during the Chocolate Fantasia on February 10, 2018, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. Raffle tickets are $5.00 each or five for $20.00. The quilt will subsequently be displayed and raffle tickets sold at community events over the course of the year until the drawing at the Gila Native Plant Society meeting on October 19, 2018. Anyone wishing to purchase a ticket at other times may contact the Society at gilanative@gmail.com.

The Gila Native Plant Society is committed to promoting education, research and appreciation of the native flora of the Southwest, encouraging the preservation of rare and endangered plant species and supporting the use of suitable native plants in landscaping. For information on programs, publications and membership, please visit www.gilanps.org.